Transmission Quality Check in the IP Bearer Network

THIS IS AN OPTIONAL FEATURE AND FUNCTION ON THE UMG8900.

Two UMG8900s exchange ping packets at regular intervals to check the quality of the bearer network between them.

Regularly exchanging ping packets helps UMG8900s quickly identify whether service interruption is caused by problems with the IP bearer network or the core network, thereby improving fault identification efficiency and shortening service interruption time.

Using ping packets to check the transmission quality of the IP bearer network is independent of audio, video, or other services.

Application Limitations

• The PING function must be enabled on the devices on the checked path.
• The firewall deployed on the network must allow ping packets to pass through.
• The routers on the transmission path must not discard the ping packets transmitted between the MGWs.

Application Scenario

In the GSM network and UMTS network, this feature helps quickly identify whether service interruption is caused by problems with the IP bearer network or core network.

Implementation Principle

figure (1) shows how two MGWs check the IP bearer network between them.

Figure 1 Checking quality of the IP bearer network

UMG8900 1, which is configured with the source IP addresses, periodically sends ping packets to UMG8900 2, which is configured with the destination IP addresses.

• If a failure occurs in resolving the router IP addresses, UMG8900 1 reports ALM-3266 Gateway resolution failed.
• If the router IP addresses are resolved successfully but the ARP packet loss ratio exceeds 1%, UMG8900 1 reports ALM-3284 IP path to the gateway unstable. This alarm is automatically cleared once 300 consecutive ARP packets have been transmitted successfully.
• If the router IP addresses are resolved successfully but 10 consecutive ping packets are lost, UMG8900 1 reports ALM-3282 IP bearer network is abnormal. This alarm is automatically cleared once 30 consecutive ping packets have been transmitted successfully.
• If the router IP addresses are resolved successfully but the ping packet loss ratio exceeds 2%, UMG8900 1 reports ALM-3282 IP bearer network is abnormal. This alarm is automatically cleared once the packet loss ratio is not greater than 1% in the transmission of 300 consecutive ping packets.

These PING operations help check the transmission quality in the bi-directions of the IP bearer network; the UMG8900 reports alarms if transmission quality problems are detected.